Supplementary Lessons in General Chemistry 1

Accuracy and Precision

Precision = refers to how close each measurement is to one another.

The precision is good if the individual measurements are close to the average.

The precision is poor if the measurements have a wide deviation from the average value

Accuracy = refers to the closeness of the average value to the actual or true value, or most probable value.

Precise measurements are most likely to be accurate. However, measurements with high precision can be

inaccurate.

Rules in Determining the Number of Significant Figures

1. All non-zero digits are significant.
2. Zeros between non-zero digits are significant.
3. Zeros to the left of the first non-zero digit are not significant. They are placeholders and are used to locate a
decimal point.
4. Zeros at the end of a number and to the right of a decimal point are significant.
5. Zeros at the end of a number that lies to the left of an understood decimal point may or may not be significant.

Exercises:
Determine the number of significant figures in each of the following measurements:
1. 3.005 g = ______SF 6. 0.001002 km = ______SF 11. 7,500 m = ______SF
2. 8000 m = ______SF 7. 20,003 m = ______SF 12. 0.0040 km = ______SF
3. 0.000675 km = ______SF 8. 40.005760 L = ______SF 13. 10.0340 g = ______SF
4. 0.405021 kg = ______SF 9. 8000 mL = ______SF 14. 50,000.00 L = _____SF
5. 22.4 L = ______SF 10. 95,764 = ______SF ` 15. 7000 kg = ______SF

Significant Figures in Measurements and Calculations

Addition and Subtraction:
When measurements are added or subtracted, the answer cannot have more decimal places that those in the
least accurate measurement. This means that the answer should be rounded to the same number of decimal places as
the measurement with the least number of decimal places.

Multiplication and Division:

When measurements are multiplied or divided, it is the significant figures, not the number of decimal places, in
each measurement that are counted. The answer cannot contain more significant figures than those in the least
accurate measurement.

Practice Problems:
1. What is the sum of 5.660 km and 0.03974 km?
2. Calculate the difference between 42.8 mL and 4.535 mL.
3. What is the area of a square crystal surface that measures 2.89 µm by 0.3460 µm?
4. Polycarbonate plastic has a density of 1.2 g/cm 3. A tray is constructed from a sheet of polycarbonate with a
thickness of 0.75 cm and measures 36.0 cm by 26.0 cm. What is the mass of the tray?
5. What is the mass of a gold sample that occupies 3.5 x10 -3 cm3? The density of gold is 19.3 g/cm3?

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Supplementary Lessons in General Chemistry 1

SI Units
Base Quantity Name of Unit Symbol
Length Meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time Second s
Electrical Current Ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of Substance Mole mol
Luminous Intensity Candela cd

o
C = (oF – 32) x 5oC/9oF o
F = 9oF/5oC x (oC) + 32

Scientific Notation:
Addition and Subtraction
= To add or subtract using scientific notation, we first write each quantity with the same exponent. Then we add or
subtract the N parts of the number; the exponent parts remain the same.

Multiplication and Division

= To multiply numbers expressed in scientific notation, we multiply the N parts of the numbers in the usual way, but add
the exponents together. To divide using scientific notation, we divide the N parts of the numbers as usual and
subtract the exponents.

Sample Problems:
Instructions: Calculate for the unknown and express your answer with correct number of significant figures.
1. A lead sphere has a mass of 1.20 x 10 4 g, and its volume is 1.05 x 103 cm. Calculate the density of lead.
2. Mercury is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature. Its density is 13.6 g/mL. How many grams of
mercury will occupy a volume of 95.8 mL?
3. Bromine is a reddish-brown colored gas. Calculate the density of the liquid (in g/mL) if 586 g of the substance
occupies 188 mL.
4. The following procedure was carried out to determine the volume of a flask. The flask was weighed dry and
then filled with water. If the masses of the empty flask and filled flask were 56.12 g and 87.39 g, respectively,
and the density of water is 0.9976 g/cm 3, calculate the volume of the flask in cm 3.
5. Calculate the mass of the each of the following:
(a) A sphere of gold of radius 10.0 cm (V=4/3πr3; dAu = 19.3 g/mL)
(b) A cube of platinum of edge length 0.040 mm (dPt = 21.4 g/cm3)
(c) 50.0 mL ethanol (dEth = 0.798 g/mL)
***
A cylindrical glass tube 12.7 cm in length is filled with mercury. The mass of mercury needed to fill the tube is found to
be 105.5 g. Calculate the inner diameter of the tube. (dHg = 13.6 g/mL)

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Supplementary Lessons in General Chemistry 1